Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-03-12
Mourning for .Grasshopper.

Mourning for s'Grasshopper.
COL. WARD II. LAMoN MAKES INQUIRY
AFTER HIS YOUTHFUL BODY SERVANT.
A few days ago small boy en-
ployed by Col. Ward I'll. Lamon dis
appeared. As result Col. W. G..
Moore, chief Of police, received the
following letter from Col Lamon:
"Grasshopper is gone. He wing
ed his fight from my bed and board
after three months faithful, but ir-
regular service as my quartermaster
commissary and adjutant At the
first sound Of martial music on the
22nd inst. his 1.-THE, graceful and
symmetrical form greeted my APPROX
ing eyes for the last time. "Grass-
hopper" possesses lively, versatile
| phenomenal and unique characters.
ties. Since the days Of Homer his
like has never been looked upon.
His talent bids fair to well fit him
for the profession of freebooter
on the high seas, or to make him re-
spectacle as an average member OF
Congress in the home service.
His inclination is upon music bent
| and irresistibly moved at the con
cord of sweet sounds. The band be
gan to play and the boy lit out to
join in the steps of the union to mar
tial music on the day we celebrate,
with as much pride and, perhaps,
more satisfaction than any patriot
descendant Of the revolution or dis
tinguished hero of the late war.
The last seen of him was by Betty,
the kitchen maid, who says, as he
turned the corner he was going at
such speed she could scarcely dis
tinguish whether it was our Grass
hopper or an elongated missile acct
dentally fired from ten-inch column
bad. She recognized him, however,
| by his well known MARBLE of dulcet
notes, set to words something like
Twas ever thus in childhood's hour
Between the boys usefulness and
cussedness | can hardly get along
| well with him or without him
"hence these tears"
His real name is Rodgers More
Cor, perhaps, less you can never
tell with such Arabs whether they
are more or less), and said to be a
lineal descendant of one of the first
families of Virginia. He is little
off color, however, to be of pure
blood, either of the Circassian or
Anglo-Saxon race. He is ii years
| old, OF a delicate build, why and ac-
tive. Has grey eyes, a Grecian face
with hair inclined to curl, but not to
kink that hair is very black, and
take him all together, he is handsome
as pocket edition of q painted
| wagon. He had on when last seen,
a drab suit cut la Dundreary
| wore a plush fabric for a sconce COW
| err, of the Cardinal Woolsey style.
When this youngster is not other
| wise engaged he is much given to
standing on his head Jumps like a
limber,jack and turning somersaults
is favorite amusement with him.
Walking upright is to him not an un-
natural mode oflocomotion. All these
considerations give rise to an appre
hens;on that he may in his innocent
bnt festive gambols in celebrating
the day have wagon wheeled himself
through the bay window of some I'M
patriotic, degenerate and irreverent
lampooner of G. Washington, ESQ.,,
and he may have lodged my grass
hopper" in some cheap police board
ing house.
Should you be in possession of any
such scion of future promise for no.
toriety and fame answering to the
above ear marks and you will loose
the Maverick from your corral and
drive him to my ranch, at sos 18th
street northwest, you will receive my
thanks and no questions shall be ask
ed, provided his presence be not ac
companied with bill of lading max
ing money demand condition pre-
cedent."
The boy turned up all right with
out the intervention of the police.
n